Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a $75 million-per-year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr FC, CBS Sports reports. The 37-year-old striker signed the contract with the Riyadh-based club on Friday, bringing an end to his free agency period following his departure from Manchester United last month. “History in the making,” the official Al Nassr FC account tweeted.
“This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home @AlNassrFC.”
The 37-year-old left United in November by mutual consent after a series of explosive TV interviews in which he claimed he “felt betrayed” by the club he rejoined from Juventus in 2021. “I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never change, [but] it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge,” Ronaldo said after leaving Old Trafford. Al Nassr, currently second in the Saudi league, will be the fifth club of Ronaldo’s career. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored more than 700 club goals in a career that began with Sporting in Portugal and has seen him lift the Champions League four times with Real Madrid and once with United. Ronaldo won Euro 2016 with Portugal but suffered a disappointing World Cup in Qatar, despite scoring in the opening group game against Ghana. Having become clubless during the tournament, he was dropped from the starting XI for the knockout rounds and came off the bench as Portugal lost 1-0 to Morocco in the quarter-finals.
